Only an Elf
by JennaJuniper
Summary: A story about the very different life of a Silvenesti elf. Constructive criticism welcome. Thanks for reading, more chapters will come.
1. Chapter 1

As the forest she lay in bled, Nikiria of house protector wept for those who were lost that day. Then her sorrow turned into bitter fury. "I have failed them all. Their dead because I couldn't save them!" she cried. "Oh, E'li, I have failed them." She lay there crying, and a cloud passed revealing the stars. As she watched the stars twinkling in the heavens, she remembered. She remembered how they died defending their homeland from the dream.

Her tears flowed with hope now instead of sorrow. She picked herself up and started running. As she ran the trees reached out to grab her, and the grass tried to trip her. She didn't slow down, she couldn't. "I have to reach the river," she kept telling herself.

An ear piercing wail came from across the Thon-Thalas River. Nikiria flinched when she heard the terrifying sound that came from a horrible creature. "Dragon!" she breathed. As she reached the river she saw a small boat with paddles nearby. She spoke a quick prayer to the gods, and pushed off into the river.


	2. Chapter 2

Snitch cried out in rage as his mate was killed by a group of windriders. He flew up above the elves into the clouds and banked left. Then he summoned up the poisonous gas that would end it all quickly. From between his massive jaws came a cloud of poison that engulfed the elves and their griffons. He let out a shrill laugh that shook the twisted trees as the elves fell from the sky.

Snitch landed beside the corpse of his mate, Shrill. He rolled her head over with his snout so that he could see her eyes.

Earlier that day, they were flying back to their lair with a few gems they acquired from a wealthy traveler when the nasty scent of griffon filled their nostrils. They soon heard war cries from the elves and their griffon mounts as one of them swooped down and started tearing at Shrill's neck.

Snitch sighed and shook his head to clear the memory. He gathered the gems and returned to his lair so that he could count his treasure and take his mind off of Shrill.


	3. Chapter 3

The oars broke the calm water of the Thon-Thalas River as Nikiria made her way across. "Why don't you just stay dead!" she demanded as she cut away another skeletal hand that reached up to pull her down. Down, to a cold grave where the faces of many dead elves desperately try to get her to join them. Her jaw firm, she ignored their voices and kept rowing.

Another hand caught her off guard and knocked her sword into the water. Without a thought, she dove into the chill water after her prized sword which was a gift from her former _shalifi_. She dove deeper into the thick, icy water.

Her master's voice resounded in her head, "This sword, Rage, Keep it with you on all your travels, child, for it possesses magical properties of great importance." "What kind of properties, _Shalifi_?" she asked him. "You must find that out for yourself, Nikiria." He stated flatly as he turned to leave. That would be the last time she saw her master again.

Just as Rage was within her grasp she felt skeletal hands grab her ankles and start to pull her away. First, her foot went numb, then her legs. By the grace of the gods, her sword drifted towards her. She gripped the pommel in her hand and within a second the arms that were holding her floated harmlessly away. Sword in hand, she swam back to her little boat.

She docked it beside and old log and proceeded into the woods. She didn't get far when she came across the bodies of elven windriders and their mounts. She checked each elf for signs of life. She was unsuccessful until she got to the last one. "What happened here?" she asked as she propped his head up on her lap. "Green….dragons. " He started choking and then was quiet. Nikiria kissed his forehead and spoke a prayer to E'li. "I will avenge your deaths." She promised as she rested her hand on Rages hilt.

She heard of a dragon living in some caves not far from where she was. She turned and her green eyes went wide. There lay the body of a green dragon. She remembered that the man talked as if there were two dragons. "I'm going to go reunite you with your friend" she sneered as she rubbed the hilt of her sword with her thumb.


	4. Chapter 4

A flea bit him on the back. Aggravated that such a pesky thing would interrupt his slumber, Snitch reached a talon back to scratch it, but it bit him again only this time it burned. He turned his head to look and saw, not a flea, but an elf maiden, and she was slicing madly at him.

When she saw him looking at her she let out a battle cry and rushed at him, swinging wildly and drew blood on his nose. He rose up and with a flex of his massive muscles shook her off. She hit the wall with a thud and slid to the floor and lay there.

He picked her up and brought the limp elf to his mouth for a snack when she plunged her sword into the back of his throat. Snitch took in a breath of air and exhaled a noxious green gas. Nikiria deftly rolled to the right, directly underneath the dragon.

Rage began to glow a hot red and she felt the hot need for revenge burn through her. She swung Rage in an arc, slicing open the dragon's vulnerable stomach. As dragon blood rained around her, Rage's glow subsided along with her need for revenge.

With Rage back at its place on her hip, she went to investigate the mountain of treasure sparkling against the back wall. She gazed long at the horde that lay before her. She stuffed her pockets with as much as they would carry, and then turned to leave when something caught her eye.

Nikiria grimaced when she saw a Starjewel lying on the pile. She picked it up and ran her thumb over a crack in the center of the jewel. Just like the one on her Starjewel.


End file.
